Ageism in Florida: Stripper Sues Attorney General for Discrimination

A lawsuit has been filed against Florida’s attorney general and two local prosecutors by a 19-year-old stripper and the club she worked at. The lawsuit challenges a new state law that prevents adult entertainment businesses from hiring individuals under the age of 21, arguing that it violates their constitutional rights.

Serenity Michelle Bushey, who was let go from Cafe Risque in Gainesville due to the law, claims in the lawsuit that she was discriminated against because of her age. The law was put into place to combat human trafficking, according to Florida lawmakers.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Tallahassee, seeks a permanent injunction against the enforcement of the law. It argues that the law infringes on the plaintiffs’ First Amendment right to free speech and their Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection.

In addition to Bushey, the lawsuit represents the owner of Cafe Risque and two other adult businesses in Jacksonville. It mentions that eight other adult performers between the ages of 18 and 21 are unable to work at Cafe Risque because of the new law.

The law not only affects adult performers but also restricts the hiring of cooks, DJs, waitresses, security guards, and contractors aged 18 to 21 as detailed in the lawsuit. Kylie Mason, communications director for the Office of the Attorney General stated that they will defend this new law once they are served with it.